Field of Study – Page 5 – The Renegade Coder

Since I turned 23 today, I figured I'd launch a post to celebrate. In this post, I'm sharing 23 tech topics that would be fun to tackle. If your favorite topic didn't make the list, please share it in the comments! Introducing the List of Tech Topics Technology, or tech, is the accumulation of human knowledge to form tools that can be leveraged to create goods and services. Of course, that means anything from the pencil to the self-driving car can be considered technology. Fortunately, I won't be bothering with the former. Instead, we're covering the latest tech topics with a bit of a bias toward coding tech. At any rate, let's dive in. Object-Oriented Programming Naturally, I had kick off my list of tech topics with something dear to my heart: Object-oriented programming (OOP). OOP is a style of programming which focuses on objects rather than actions. Some examples of OOP languages include Java, C#, and Python. Computer-Aided Design Up next on the list of tech topics is computer-aided design (CAD). CAD is a method of design that leverages technology to model elements of the world. Specifically, CAD can be used to model real-world systems like cars, planes, and trains. Some examples of CAD software include SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and Cobalt. If you want to learn more about CAD, check out VirtualFlatCAD, a SOLIDWORKS YouTuber. Scripting Languages Scripting languages are programming languages that focus on task automation. In many cases, these languages are interpreted which means their instructions are executed directly. A screenshot of some JavaScript. Some examples of scripting languages include Python, Bash, and JavaScript. Databases Databases store collections of data in a way that models reality. As a result, data is easy to retrieve and manipulate. Databases are managed using a a database management system like MariaDB, MySQL, and Oracle. Computer Architecture Computer architecture is the study of computer design as a system. Topics in computer architecture include cache and memory design and implementation, storage design and implementation, and processor design and implementation. Continuous Integration Continuous integration (CI) is a software engineering practice in which multiple branches of development are merged regularly. The goal is to limit integration issues by providing a means to continually add new code to an existing repository. If automated, CI can handle building, testing, and deploying a code base. Software Patterns Software patterns are a set of tools that are used to solve common problems in software engineering. In practice, these patterns serve as best practices for problem solving. Software patterns are broken up into 4 major categories: creational, behavioral, structural, and concurrency. Among these categories, some of the most notable patterns include singleton, builder, factory, and observer. Optimization Optimization is the process of improving the efficiency of a system or program. Efficiency can cover areas such as memory management and process performance. Often times the specifications of a system determine what optimization techniques will be employed. In practice, this might mean sacrificing space allocation for better process performance. Networks Networks is the study of communication between nodes in a system. In particular, computer networks focus on data transmission between two nodes. Perhaps the most famous network is the internet. The classic wifi symbol. Software testing is the process of verifying that software meets specifications. There are various types of software testing such as unit, functional, integration, regression, and performance. Software Testing Software testing is the process of verifying that software meets specifications. There are various types of software testing such as unit, functional, integration, regression, and performance. Operating Systems In a computer, the operating system (OS) serves as the layer between the hardware and the software applications. In particular, the OS manages hardware and software resources for the entire system. The most common operating systems today are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Computer Graphics Computer graphics are pictures, videos, and animations generated by a computer. Some fun topics in graphics include raytracing, modeling, anti-aliasing, and shading. Robotics Robotics is the study of the mechanical, electrical, and software architecture of a robot. As a result, robotics covers a ton of tech and physics topics including actuation, statics, dynamics, power distribution, and artificial intelligence. The Disney hero, WALL-E. Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence is a characteristic of a machine related to cognitive function. In practice, this typically means the machine uses its environment to make decisions that maximum its likelihood to succeed in some goal. Goals can include topics like perception, learning, and planning. Modern examples of artificial intelligence include ride sharing services, spam filters, plagiarism checkers, fraud protection, and search engines. Game Development Game development is the process of designing and implementing a video game. Development teams are often interdisciplinary with members that may carry skills ranging from music composition to database management. Hanzo on Eichenwalde in Overwatch Popular examples of video games include Overwatch, Mario, Zelda, Starcraft, and Halo. Parallel Processing Parallel processing is a style of programming where the focus of implementation is on concurrency. In other words, instructions can be executed simultaneously rather than in order. Of course, the main challenge in this style of programming is managing resources. Poor resource management can result in race conditions, dead locks, or live locks. Data Structures Data structures are a way of efficiently managing data. This subject often ties very closely to optimization as data structure choice can drastically change the performance of a program. Some examples of data structures include arrays, linked lists, maps, trees, and graphs. Electronic Circuits Electronic circuits are hardware loops which contain components linked by conducting wires. They can be split into two main categories (not necessarily mutually exclusive): digital and analog. Some examples of electronic components include resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, and switches. A printed circuit board (PCB). Digital Electronics Digital electronics are a subgroup of electronics circuits with an emphasis on logic design. In this type of circuit, current is controlled using transistors which direct the current based on a specific set of inputs. The digital components can range from basic logic gates all the way to the modern processor. Compiler Design Compiler design is the process of converting source code to a target language. In many cases the target language is some machine code such as x86. Sometimes, however, the target language is some mid level language that is interpreted at a later time. For instance, the Java compiler converts source code to byte code which is then later interpreted on-the-fly by the Java Virtual Machine. Algorithms Algorithms are problem solutions denoted by a list of actions. In practices, algorithms are a way of solving problems. Like data structures, this topic ties very closely to optimization as algorithms can be optimized for specific criteria. Simulation Simulation is the process of mocking a real-world system by using a model. These systems can then be used for optimization, testing, and prediction. In addition, simulation is often used in game development to model a lifelike system such as social interaction or combat. Embedded Software Finally, how could we forget embedded software on a list of tech topics to tackle? If you didn't know, embedded software is a special type of software engineering that focuses on machine hardware. In many cases, embedded systems are memory constrained, so software has to be optimized at a low-level. In practice, embedded software can be written to control robots, cars, appliances, and many other electronic devices. That's it for me! Share your favorite tech topics below in the comments. If you liked this post, make sure to share it.